This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Queen's U chapter.

With more discussions on the seriousness of climate change, many people have been choosing to cut down on their intake of animal products or to switch to a plant-based diet to do their part in reducing their carbon footprint. The one issue with switching to a plant-based diet is many of our favourite junk foods often are made with animal products. Therefore, I wanted to compile a list of some of my favourite plant-based alternatives, as well as some foods that are also actually vegan so that you can still enjoy on a plant-based diet.

1. Haagen-Dazs Dairy Free Ice Cream

I have tried a lot of dairy free ice cream… and I mean a lot. Out of all the brands I have tried, the Haagen-Dazs dairy free flavours are definitely my favourite. They are found at almost all grocery stores, and have a texture most similar to real ice cream. My personal favourites are the tubs of chocolate peanut butter and salted fudge truffle, as well as the chocolate peanut butter bars.

2. Beyond Meat Burgers

You may have heard of Beyond Meat, because they have become extremely popular within many fast food chain restaurants to provide a vegan option. However, you can also buy Beyond burgers “raw” and cook them at home yourself! If you want something as similar to a burger as there is, this is the choice for you.

3. Gardein Brand Vegan Meat Alternatives

Gardein is a brand that can be found in the frozen section of most grocery stores. They have products such as chick’n nuggets, fish filets, chick’n patties, vegan meatballs, and vegan sausage breakfast patties (and these are just some of my favourites!). Whatever meat substitution you are looking for, chances are that Gardein will carry it.

4. Gusta Sausage

A Canadian owned brand, Gusta sausages are Italian style sausage alternatives that are perfect for pan frying or barbequing for an easy dinner. They also carry seitan (a vegan meat alternative with a very similar texture to meat) and cheese.

5. Earth Island Cheese:

If you still want to be able to make your favourite grilled cheese, Earth Island has some of the best cheese slices out there! They carry flavours such as cheddar, mozzarella, pepperjack and smoked gouda in the slices, as well as mozzarella, cheddar and pizza blend shreds!

6. MELT Butter

If you’re into baking, or you can’t go without butter on your toast in the morning, MELT has the best vegan butter you can get. The only drawback is that it can be sort of pricey, so if you are looking for a cheaper alternative, Becel also makes a vegan margarine which can be a great option too!

The Best Vegan Alternatives (In My Opinion)